Status
Available
Call number
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
Crimeline (1993), Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Bestselling author Diane Mott Davidson changed the mystery novel forever with her culinary crime series. Filled with heart-stopping suspense, garnished with mouthwatering gourmet dishes, and sprinkled with wry humor, these delicious cases have captivated readers around the world. Intrepid caterer Goldy Bear has moved to the posh Aspen Meadows Country Club, where her tasty concoctions are a hit with the wealthy residents. But when her boyfriend, a local analyst, perishes in a car accident, Goldy suspects that his death has all the ingredients of a homicide. If you have an appetite for murder as the main course, you will relish every word of Goldy's perilous adventure.
User reviews
LibraryThing member tjsjohanna
Fun things about this series - set in the foothills of Denver. We lived in Denver, so that is an interesting aspect, to guess about settings, etc. The food is a great part too - yummy recipes. Goldy is a strong character who is a survivor, and there is all that negotiation for single parents
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dealing with creepy ex-spouses but trying to give their children some semblance of two parents. I like these novels. Show Less
LibraryThing member la_librarian
Read through several chapters of this book and just couldn't finish. No hook right off at all. From what I could tell of her character Goldy seemed like a prudish whiny spinster. Very boring.
LibraryThing member Kathy89
A fun read as Goldie and son are temporarily living at the estate of a friend while her home is being fitted with a security system. Needless to say people start dying from poisoning. Julian enters Goldie's life and her relationship with Schulz heats up.
LibraryThing member MsBeautiful
Enjoy this character, love hearing about cooking/recipes
LibraryThing member bearette24
This wasn't one of my favorites, although it received some of the best reviews at Amazon. Julian and Marla are introduced in this book, and oddly enough, Julian and Goldy don't really like each other (so it's unclear why she decides to let him live with her at the end of the book). Also, the killer
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was really easy to spot. This was the first Goldy book where I figured out the killer way in advance, and I didn't like that. Show Less
LibraryThing member LiteraryLinda
The mysteries by Ms. Davidson are lots of fun. Her hero is a caterer in a Colorado mountain town. who is preparing for an event in each book. A murder occurs. Goldie, the caterer, is married to one of the town cops and she can't help but get involved in finding out who-dun-it. Her recipes for the
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event are included. Show Less
LibraryThing member sturlington
These are your basic light little mysteries, but they suffer from a two-dimensional quality. The viewpoint character is just so pure – she’s in her thirties, has a child, and still feels guilty about sleeping with her fiance before the wedding, and enjoying it – while all the other people in
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the small Colorado town where she lives are so nasty, snobbish, priggish, gossipy, and shallow that the reader gets a lopsided view that just isn’t believable. And the reasons these people have for committing murder strain your disbelief even further, but I won’t give anything away. I was also particularly put off by one line in Dying for Chocolate: “She had that drawn look that vegetarians get.” I haven’t looked drawn since I became a vegetarian – quite the opposite, in fact – and everyone knows that a vegetarian diet is, in point of fact, much better for you. Anyway, the books do have a redeeming quality – they all include several sinfully sweet recipes so you can take time out and cook something if the story is bothering you. Show Less
LibraryThing member JenJ.
Listened to the Recorded Books cassette edition. Hmm. Goldy still annoys me; she's over-protective of her son in an annoying way and I don't understand her relationship with Schulz - why in the world wouldn't you have stuck with him in the first place and where did the marriage proposal come from
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in the end? Seems way too soon for that. I don't know if I'll continue working my way through these. I'm thinking maybe one more chance and if I'm still meh about them I'm giving up. Show Less
LibraryThing member pussreboots
Dying for Chocolate by Diane Mott Davidson is the second of the Goldy culinary mystery series. As with the others, I listened to the Barbara Rosenblat audio. Unfortunately for the earliest books (except for the first) the CD audios are all abridged. My library offers it for download through
In this book, Goldy and Arch have moved from their previous home to escape the ever abusive ex-husband. Goldy for room and board is cooking and answering phones in a massive home. Meanwhile Arch is attending summer school at the local private academy along with a petulant, mohawk sporting Julian.
Things go horribly wrong with the death of Philip Miller. It's a rather gruesome description of how he dies. Goldy is understandably distraught. Interestingly, though, her feelings for him change as she learns more about him.
Besides Miller's death, Goldy has a competing caterer complaining that she has stolen their name, a newspaper reviewer dubbed "Pierre" who is writing nothing but negative reviews of her food, and Arch bugging her to have a magic show swim party.
Although I've figured out other mysteries in this series, I didn't this time. It had the right amount of herrings to keep me confused and interested.
I also must admit that I have a complete and utter literary crush on Julian.
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Oneclick but those bastards put a non-Mac friendly DRM on it. So I ended up having to buy a digital copy from iTunes as I will probably have to do for book three.In this book, Goldy and Arch have moved from their previous home to escape the ever abusive ex-husband. Goldy for room and board is cooking and answering phones in a massive home. Meanwhile Arch is attending summer school at the local private academy along with a petulant, mohawk sporting Julian.
Things go horribly wrong with the death of Philip Miller. It's a rather gruesome description of how he dies. Goldy is understandably distraught. Interestingly, though, her feelings for him change as she learns more about him.
Besides Miller's death, Goldy has a competing caterer complaining that she has stolen their name, a newspaper reviewer dubbed "Pierre" who is writing nothing but negative reviews of her food, and Arch bugging her to have a magic show swim party.
Although I've figured out other mysteries in this series, I didn't this time. It had the right amount of herrings to keep me confused and interested.
I also must admit that I have a complete and utter literary crush on Julian.
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LibraryThing member wareagle78
I'm really enjoying Goldie's stories so far! I haven't made any of the recipes, but I do plan to give some a try. This one ended up a tangle at the end, but it was entertaining getting there.
LibraryThing member coloradogirl14
My first culinary cozy, and I have to say that I enjoyed it more than I expected to. Goldy's experience as a caterer made for an interesting backdrop, and her past history with an abusive ex-husband made for a darker and ultimately more interesting reading experience. A healthy dose of humor also
I'm not a connoisseur of culinary fiction (pun definitely intended!), but I understand why this subgenre is so popular. The descriptions of the food are delectable and sensuous, and if I were to read another book in this series, it would have a lot to do with the culinary elements.
There's a strong cast of secondary characters that make for an interesting mystery with plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing till the end. And as you might expect from this type of novel, there are small hints of romance, but not many.
It's a far cry from my usual reading selections, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It would make a good read for just about anyone, but it also makes for a good introductory title for anyone who's looking to try a cozy mystery.
Readalikes:
Hannah Swensen series - Joanne Fluke. Another cozy culinary mystery series with quirky characters and delicious recipes, although the Hannah Swensen novels are lighter in tone.
China Bayles series - Susan Wittig Albert. Both series feature female amateur detectives who investigate and solve mysteries with the help of their law enforcement significant other. China Bayles is an ex-lawyer and the proprietor of an herb shop.
Coffeehouse series - Cleo Coyle. Another cozy mystery series based in the food industry, with engaging female protagonists, satisfying plots, and quirky secondary characters.
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helped keep this story from becoming overwhelmingly sweet.I'm not a connoisseur of culinary fiction (pun definitely intended!), but I understand why this subgenre is so popular. The descriptions of the food are delectable and sensuous, and if I were to read another book in this series, it would have a lot to do with the culinary elements.
There's a strong cast of secondary characters that make for an interesting mystery with plenty of red herrings to keep you guessing till the end. And as you might expect from this type of novel, there are small hints of romance, but not many.
It's a far cry from my usual reading selections, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book. It would make a good read for just about anyone, but it also makes for a good introductory title for anyone who's looking to try a cozy mystery.
Readalikes:
Hannah Swensen series - Joanne Fluke. Another cozy culinary mystery series with quirky characters and delicious recipes, although the Hannah Swensen novels are lighter in tone.
China Bayles series - Susan Wittig Albert. Both series feature female amateur detectives who investigate and solve mysteries with the help of their law enforcement significant other. China Bayles is an ex-lawyer and the proprietor of an herb shop.
Coffeehouse series - Cleo Coyle. Another cozy mystery series based in the food industry, with engaging female protagonists, satisfying plots, and quirky secondary characters.
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LibraryThing member LisCarey
Another very solid mystery featuring Goldy the caterer. In this one, she meets Julian Teller, we find out that Marla really is Julian's aunt (thought it was just a ruse in one of the later entries, and Tom Schultz proposes.
LibraryThing member nx74defiant
Nice cozy mystery. The reveal surprised me. Loved the narrator's voice.
LibraryThing member LadyoftheLodge
I liked the idea to start with and found the book entertaining. The ending was just too bizarre and unbelievable though.
LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Digital audiobook read by Barbara Rosenblat
This is book two in the popular Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery series. Divorced and trying to avoid further altercations with her ex (usually referred to as “The Jerk”), Goldy and her son Arch have landed in temporary quarters where she is the private
I started this series ages ago and loved the recipes. At that time I didn’t care if I read the series in order or not and have no memory of reading this one (and it wasn’t on my “read” shelf). It has all the elements of a successful cozy mystery series: an amateur sleuth whose “career” puts her in contact with a wide range of people (whether victim or suspect), a home situation with added tension, a love interest, and some great recipes. I have to admit that Goldy is pretty resourceful when getting herself out of a jam and doesn’t always rely on the big strong detective to save her. On the other hand, if she kept her nose out of business that isn’t hers … well we wouldn’t have this series.
Barbara Rosenblat does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. I loved the way she voiced Gen Farquahar. What a character! The audio does NOT include any of the recipes that are printed in the book, so be sure to grab a copy of the text if you’re inspired to try concocting your own “death by chocolate.”
This is book two in the popular Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery series. Divorced and trying to avoid further altercations with her ex (usually referred to as “The Jerk”), Goldy and her son Arch have landed in temporary quarters where she is the private
Show More
chef to a wealthy couple, Gen Bo and Adele Farquhar. The position gives her a place a live and access to a dream kitchen, and allows her time to also take on catering jobs. She’s also dating a man she originally met in college. But not everything is going her way. A food critic is writing very negative reviews of Goldy’s work. The Farquhar’s have taken in a former boarder at the tony Elk Park Preparatory School, Julian Teller, but Goldy doesn’t quite trust him, and she’s not thrilled that Arch follows Julian’s every move. And then people begin to die.I started this series ages ago and loved the recipes. At that time I didn’t care if I read the series in order or not and have no memory of reading this one (and it wasn’t on my “read” shelf). It has all the elements of a successful cozy mystery series: an amateur sleuth whose “career” puts her in contact with a wide range of people (whether victim or suspect), a home situation with added tension, a love interest, and some great recipes. I have to admit that Goldy is pretty resourceful when getting herself out of a jam and doesn’t always rely on the big strong detective to save her. On the other hand, if she kept her nose out of business that isn’t hers … well we wouldn’t have this series.
Barbara Rosenblat does a fine job of narrating the audiobook. I loved the way she voiced Gen Farquahar. What a character! The audio does NOT include any of the recipes that are printed in the book, so be sure to grab a copy of the text if you’re inspired to try concocting your own “death by chocolate.”
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Subjects
Language
Original publication date
1992-08-01
Physical description
352 p.; 7 inches
ISBN
0553560247 / 9780553560244
Local notes
Paperback copy given to Holly Nugent.